NHRC asks cops to explain delay in lodging FIR

Mumbai, Feb 16 (IANS) Taking suo moto cognisance of a media report, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought explanation from the Maharashtra Police over delay in lodging an FIR of a young girl who was kidnapped, and then rescued from a brothel.

The NHRC notice was sent Friday to the director-general of police (DGP) and superintendent of police (SP) Ahmednagar district, for alleged indifference in registering the First Information Report (FIR) of the victim, who was kidnapped first and later rescued from a brothel in Dhule.

According to a local media report, on Jan 3, four people including a woman, abducted the 18-year-old girl when her fiance had gone to a washroom.

She was rescued Jan 5 by her fiance from a brothel. The victim had complained of assault.

When the girl and her fiance approached the police with a complaint, instead of registering the kidnapping case and helping the girl, some policemen allegedly beat her fiance with a belt.

Earlier, the police claimed that the duo was attempting to register a fake case against the four kidnappers.

It was only after media pressure, which generated public outcry, that a case was finally registered Jan 10 at the Tofkhana police station.